For years they delighted persuaded, and writed, differing theories, slippery queries, Timothy Learies, about where did it come from, this word: a conundrum the opposite of a humdrum the title of sin the mystery within the first and the last, the future and past, this word would evade the etymological parade the question of questions the beginning of starts the pumper of hearts the pusher of carts the trade of all jacks the pimp of all macks: the broom of all- Actually my friend just told me that it came from Latin, via Middle English, from roots that mean "arise" or "be born." O, the mystery that is the word "root" the historical loot the untastable fruit